Your new site is launched. Now you can focus on other things for a couple of years, right? For some, that might be true. For most, it is not true. Every site needs to be redesigned eventually and even great websites go out of date quickly. Trends change. Clients change. What works and is relevant to your users also changes. The challenge is spotting the telltale signs and being able to back up why your site needs an update.

Some quick ideas to help you figure it out:

First stop: ask yourself: “Is my website doing the job it is intended to do right?”

When you created your site, what was the number one job you were supposed to do for your business? Is it working now or do you need a development plan?

Whether it’s to generate a certain amount of email signups, sell X$ worth of product directly to consumers per month, or another purpose, if your site isn’t achieving its fundamental strategy, you need to dig deeper. Is it your content, the structure of your site, your online marketing strategy, your general marketing strategy, a simple technical problem, etc.?

What do your site analytics tell you?

Website analytics are your best friend in determining how visitors use your site, how the site performs, and why you might need a site redesign. Comparing your actual results to the “success” metrics and goals you created before launch can reveal gaps and illuminate potential design issues.

By looking at pages viewed, time on page, click paths, and exit pages, you can decide to show high-traffic pages that were hidden in easier-to-find locations or reduce the number of clicks to reach the pages. that customers are looking for. most, for example.

If you have an eCommerce site and notice significant cart abandonment at the same point over and over again, take a closer look. There may be critical information that customers wanted before that is influencing their buying behavior. Would it be better if you provided a link to shipping costs on your home page or a quote on your product information page, for example? However, there may be a technical problem that the developers need to fix at that time.

Adding a simple survey or feedback tool is another easy way to establish a dialogue while gaining insight from customers that will support your assumptions and your case.

Are you attracting the right visitors to your website?

The issue is not always “how many” but “who” when it comes to site traffic. How would you describe your visitors to others? Who are they? Are they the ones you were trying to attract? If you determine you’re attracting the wrong audience, take a look at the audience you attracted and the people you want to attract, and then try to think about what you need to change on your site, if anything, to close the gap. In the end, when you’ve built a site that’s for your visitors and designed with your customer in mind from concept to site architecture to images, you have a better chance of ranking right from the start.

Does your site clearly convey your brand and key messages?

Your website must accurately convey who you are and resonate with the emotional or “visceral” side of your customers. The way you express your brand through the look and feel of your site, your content, and all site elements are part of your brand voice. Making sure that all the elements come together in a cohesive way to tell a consistent story to your visitors is critical to driving successful marketing.

Maybe you have grown. Maybe you know more now. Maybe you have changed brands.

Still, even when you can get your brand right, your brand can evolve over time as your business grows and priorities change, especially for startups who are constantly learning more about customers and how to go to market with their products. and services. right way. Sometimes you can get away with replacing your logo, but rebranding often involves a redesign.

Does your site tell the same story as your offline materials?

Ideally, your site should link seamlessly with your offline marketing materials. Projecting a consistent brand and message to your customers helps build trust in your business. It also makes your message pack more punch when you’re talking to your customers and running a 360-degree marketing campaign. Your site is often the first place prospects look for information about your business. If you have updated offline materials, your logo, etc., your website should reflect those changes.

Is your design outdated?

Spotting an outdated website is not very difficult. It is often noticeable in the first few seconds. Maybe it’s a narrow site built for older computer monitors and not the current wide screens used today. Colors and images can be dry or non-contemporary with a dated look. Maybe your design looks “tired”. Or maybe your site feels like it’s taking a bold step back into the 1980s. Bottom line: design matters.

Is your content correct?

Is it right for your client and is it right for the times? Knowing how they want their customers to be spoken to and in what tone cannot be assumed. It is based on a real understanding of your customer. If your copywriter is uninformed or informed, there are cases where the copy may be too conversational or too formal and academic in other cases. Sentences also become stale. “Bling” and other buzzwords have plagued the internet recently, but they are no more. When you use content that is too trendy or not relevant to your target audience, you are more likely to have to rewrite it frequently.

Is your functionality overwhelming or frustrating for your visitors?

There are some who jump on the bandwagon, incorporating the latest apps and functionality into their sites to stay ahead. This can work for or against a site depending on the client. If your site appears to have been designed by an overzealous developer in 2040 looking to demonstrate their technical progress, you may want to reassess whether this is what your customers want. If your customer is looking to quickly navigate through your site, get information, and walk away, ask yourself if long-loading home intro pages, complex site navigation, and a text-heavy site could frustrate and distract them. However, just call a few clients and ask!

Summary

In short, every website needs a redesign eventually. Knowing the telltale signs and being able to support your case with analytical data are important first steps.

When you redesign: Stay up to date with your own business model. Make sure your website is doing the job it is intended to do. Be relevant. Be contemporary. Be on the mark. Be consistent with your overall marketing program. Consider how design, content, and function can affect your results. The most important thing is to know your customer and follow their tracks!